Lightbringer Trilogy: Twilight
by Runaway-Fantasy
Summary: 1st of 3. Jenna is torn from her world when an evil endangers it, only to encounter things just as bad in this new land she finds herself in. Hyrule. Teaming up with the hero, Link, she searches for a way to cast out this evil and find a way home.
1. The Vessel of Light

Lightbringer Trilogy: Twilight

1st Sunfall/Moonrise: The Vessel of Light

From the murky depths of night came the gradual warmth of sunlight as that celestial sphere rose from beyond the horizon. A gentle sea breeze blew by constantly, accompanied by the lull of the waves below. A young woman, alone on the pier, watched behind her sunglasses as the sky became colored from the sun's rising-changing from dark blue, to purple, to orange, and then to the lovely gold that she had been waiting for. For years, as often as she could, watching the sunrise had been Jenna's hobby. She smiled as she watched a shaft of light shimmer on the ocean's surface, reflecting back the brilliance of the sun.

She turned her eyes back towards the sun itself, ever grateful of the protection of her sunglasses to keep from being totally blinded. Behind those shades a pair of brown eyes, the same shade as milk chocolate, scanned the sky around the sun as if in search of something there. A time or two she thought she saw was she was looking for, but was only assuming, thinking it were a trick of the light. Jenna sighed and pulled away from the wooden railing of the pier, and made her way back the long stretch of it towards the shore. Her family's beach home was only a short walk along the shore from the pier itself, having one of the most valued locations along the southern coast. Having lived her sixteen years of life along the Florida panhandle, Jenna believed her home to be one step from paradise.

Years ago, before the incident, Jenna wasn't prone to being such an early bird. She used to be far from, allowing herself to laze and sleep for as long as she pleased, even if that meant well into the afternoon. However, by that time her own siblings or mother would go at her to wake up and not waste her day. It wasn't until she was twelve years old that her behavior changed drastically.

• • • • •

During that summer, four years ago, Jenna had been out in the water and doing snorkeling with a few other kids around her age. But what had happened was that as she was snorkeling, she and her friends got caught in a wave's undertow. She'd panicked in the sudden loss of control of where she was going, tumbling about in the water unable to tell which way was which. She felt sure she was going to drown.

Yet, through the rushing sound of the water in her ears she heard a gentle voice whisper her name. The next moment she was safely encased inside a glowing, golden sphere with strange swirling patterns moving all over its surface. She'd gasped for air, ripping off her goggles and snorkel, spitting out sea water still caught in her mouth and throat. Her name had been whispered a second time, and when she looked up she saw the faint image of a bird-like creature within the shifting runes of the sphere. She stared at its shape for what seemed to her the longest time. The bird shape soon disappeared in streams of golden light and the sphere encasing her contracted, shrinking in size, smaller and smaller, until it sank into her and her own body radiated the same gentle gold glow with swirling patterns. Even the whole of her eyes glowed gold, open and unaffected by the water around her.

For a brief moment, little Jenna had lost sense of time, floating suspended in the water, still glowing like some ethereal creature. It was when a wave passed, exposing her head above the surface that she snapped out of it, gasping for air again and paddling feebly towards the shore, letting the waves help to carry her along. Her mother had been frantic for her safety since she'd been the last to make it to shore since her friends had come sputtering out of the water. But even then she'd seemed to be in shock, looking dazed and unresponsive for a while longer before coming out of it all as if she'd been dreaming.

• • • • •

"Morning, mom," Jenna greeted upon seeing her mother come down the stairs to large layout of the main level of the house, which was open to the kitchen area, dining table off to one side, and a sitting area with a television central to the seating formation off to the other.

"Oh, good morning, sweetheart. Saw the sunrise again?" Jenna nodded in reply. Her mother yawned. "Could you go turn on the TV? I think it's still on the news channel from last night."

"What? This again? It's been a week now..." Regardless, Jenna did as instructed and turned it on, hearing the audio of the morning news broadcaster before the image caught up with it.

"-that there is a continual fluctuation in the Earth's electromagnetic field remaining within a fifteen mile radius of the North Pole, and seems to be keeping steady at that range," stated the middle aged, male broadcaster. "Scientists are as if yet still unable to determine what exactly is causing this inconsistency, but we will continue to update on further developments, should the event arise. Next in this morning's news, the main highway off of-"

"Mom," Jenna started, turning her head around to look at her mother after having seated herself on the couch facing the television, "do you think they even know what they're talking about? At first they said Earth's field was finally shifting poles, and just yesterday they said the energy given off was closest to dark matter."

"We won't know until the scientists do," her mother replied, getting her morning coffee brewed. "We're not the ones looking into it. The news always makes such big deals out of small things..."

"But what if it's not?"

Jenna's mother raised her eyebrows, pausing in her pulling out a mug for her coffee from one of the upper cabinets containing their glasses and cups. "You know what _is_ a big deal? You getting more and more anxious over this, Jenna. Sweetheart, it's not like it's the end of the world."

Jenna simply sighed, got up from the couch and stared out at the large windows looking out onto the back deck of the beach house and further still at the Gulf Coast itself, and stared out at the sun as if seeking comfort in the morning light.

_But why do I feel like it is?_

With it being the summer season, tourism was exploding as the general population flocked to the beaches to get away from their usual scenes and take in a new view to relax from their usual cares. Usually stretches of the beach would be overrun by tourists and the like, but Jenna's family, along with much of the land along this particular stretch of beach, privately owned a chunk of the beach within the space of their own homes. This, in turn, reduced the number of people using the beach to an absolute minimum. She was grateful for this, since there were only a few other people lounging out on the beach at the same time as her during the afternoon hours.

The sunlight and the sounds of the waves were always peaceful to Jenna, helping her mind to relax from troubles that bothered her at times. Sometimes she even dozed off for a while she would be so relaxed. She did doze off from time to time, but never really fell into a slumber, her consciousness still aware of the sounds of the waves and the wind that passed by, keeping her body cool from the warming light of the sun.

The hours passed, and the sun began to set. The sky, like it did in the morning, began to change colors as the light faded, dimming the bright blue into shades of purple, pink, and dark blues. A cooler air was beginning to blow than the kind from earlier in the day, the temperature of the world slowly dropping.

After having spent her day out in the sun, Jenna was more than happy to head back inside and have something real to eat other than the snacks she pilfered from the fridge or pantry from time to time during the day so that she didn't go hungry. Slipping her thin, draping cover-up on she got up from her lounging position and was brushing her flip-flops off of their sand when her name was whispered to her.

Startled, Jenna looked up, staring out onto the ocean but saw nothing. But she was bugged by curiosity now. Cautiously she went towards the shore, until the breaking waves licked at her ankles and the setting sun glared in her eyes, even through the shade of her sunglasses.

_"Jenna,"_ the whisper came again.

"Who's there?" Jenna whispered back, not sure if she was hearing things.

_"You know me, child. Come to me."_

Somehow Jenna felt compelled to heed that gentle voice. She made her way further from the shoreline, not realizing now that she walked on the water's surface, her body beginning to glow like it did years ago.

Though the sun was still setting and its light continuing to fade as it disappeared behind the horizon, there was a comforting and brilliant glow hovering over the water's surface. However, unlike the sun's steady shining, the light formed an orb with shifting patterns. That orb then began to reveal that it was grasped gently in the talons of a great, bird like creature. Its tail feathers were long and reminded Jenna of a phoenix, though its body seemed lopsided with its bearing not the usual two wings, but three. She gazed up at the creature in wonder, awed by its shape and the comforting glow it shared with the orb.

"You're-" she started.

_"I am Unum, a Spirit of Light."_

Jenna continued to stare for a bit more before finding her voice. "So that day...That was you."

"_Yes, child. And I fear this may be the last time we meet,"_ the Spirit's whispering voice said sadly.

"Wh-what? Why?" Jenna blurted out.

_ "A dark power is stirring. We Spirits have slept too long, and soon it will be too late."_

"Dark power? Unum, what do you-"

But Jenna's question was cut off when the three winged bird dissolved into countless glimmers of light which began to orbit around the sphere of light he had held previous in his talons. For a second time in her life Jenna found herself within the glowing sphere of the Light Spirit. Below her on the water's surface was not her own reflection but that of Unum. Streams of light were whirling around the orb and everything was getting brighter by the second.

_"As the vessel of light you will be the last hope to restore light to Earth, once you meet the other Spirits. But there is no time, for the darkness will consume this world. Fear not, child. I am sending you someplace safe; someplace far away."_

"Unum, wait!" Jenna cried, banging on the sphere but proved to be unable to free herself from it.

_ "Farewell, child. May there always be light to guide you."_

"Unum!"

Light filled Jenna's vision and then she felt like she was being yanked on by a cord, feeling a sensation of rapid movement yet not knowing how fast or where she was going. There was nothing but light...

...and a sudden plunge into water.


	2. Village of Ordon

2nd Sunfall/Moonrise: The Village of Ordon

Jenna broke the surface of the water with a gasp, sending water flying and sloshing all over the place as she paddled and then crawled her way to the shallow end of the pool. The feel of water was familiar, but there were no waves that crashed in an even rhythm, no sand that stretched for miles on either side of her and no beach houses facing her. The water was a gentle ripple, the sand was replaced with a grassy floor with shrubs and flowers, and large trees loomed over her, shading the earth below from the sun. Gate hinges were swung wide open, overgrown with vines and flowers.

Jenna clumsily got to her feet, wading ankle deep in the water and looking around in a panic. None of this was familiar to her and in her mind she wondered if she was just being delusional, maybe even still napping out on the beach close to home and just dreaming all of this-all of what happened to coming to this strange place.

"Where am I?" she whispered, her voice shaking.

She noticed a light grow in the corner of her eye. The color and intensity was familiar to her. Hoping, she twisted around to face that light, thinking she would see the strangely comforting glow of that three-winged bird.

"Unum?" she asked, trying to see beyond the light as it formed a shape from its radiant shapelessness.

_"No, child,"_ a gentle voice replied. The voice was not of the bird spirit she had met on the waves behind her home. The light took shape, becoming a great four-legged beast with a boulder-sized tail and horns curved to form a circle which held an orb of light floating within. _"I am Ordona."_

"Another light spirit?"

_ "Yes. I am the one who brings light to these lands, as ordained to me by the goddesses." _

Jenna stared at Ordona for a moment before turning around again and splashing through the water, passing through the gates and looking on either side of a path that ran straight past the spring. To one side the path seemed to lead to nowhere; on the other, a bridge that connected to a pass in rock, blocked off by a menacing black veil. Looking at it sent chills down Jenna's spine, making her feel colder than she already was, still soaked through from her splashing through both salt and fresh water.

The young woman quickly returned to the spring, the shining light spirit still standing just barely above the surface of the water, illuminating that small area as brightly as the noon time. She found some warmth and comfort in that light floating within his horns, but still clung to herself, wringing out excess water soaked into the fabric of her cover-up.

"Ordona, what...what was that..._that_ thing I saw there?" Jenna questioned, her voice and eyes showing she was still in a bit of a panic, having not yet recovered from earlier. "_Where am I_?"

_"You are in the providence named after me: Ordon. Down the path beyond this spring is a village by the same name. However, both are part of a bigger land. The land you inhabit is called Hyrule,"_ replied the spirit.

"H-Hyrule?" Jenna stuttered, drawing back from the spirit. "I'm no longer on my own planet?"

_"A distant world,"_ Ordon corrected her. _"I can sense a light like my own within you. All worlds have light, and through it they are connected. It was through this connection that you were brought here."_

"Then send me back! I want to go home!"

_"You saw the dark veil beyond my spring. I am the only light left within these lands. The darkness is spread too greatly for me to return you to your own world. Forgive me, child, but I am powerless against it on my own. All I can do is watch over the good villagers of Ordon."_

"Then how am I supposed to get home?" Jenna demanded. She waded through the water of the spring, the feeling of it against her legs a familiarity to her like the waves of the beach. "The light spirit Unum sent me away to this place to save me from something, but from _what_? He was so...vague. He said I was the vessel of light and that it was me who was the last hope to restore light on Earth. How am I supposed to know what any of this means without getting home?" Jenna was near hyperventilating. Anxiety, fear, and a slew of other emotions swirled through her like a whirlpool, all of it draining down into a pit leading towards a breakdown.

_"That I cannot answer for you,"_ Ordon said. The spirit took a step forward, coming closer to Jenna and nuzzling her. That touch brought a gentle glow like that of Ordon's to appear around her, flickering above her skin like a halo. _"Though I lack answers for you, then may my instruction give you some peace. Go. Follow the path opposite the bridge and enter the village of Ordon, and they will shelter you."_

Jenna wrapped her arms around Ordona's glowing muzzle, the gentle warmth radiating from the spirit comforting her like a child finds comfort in its favorite toy before bed. Though she grasped him rather subconsciously part of her was a bit surprised at how tangible the spirit was.

_ "Stay strong, child."_

The young woman pulled away, quietly nodding, the warmth and light of Ordona having dried her once water-soaked body and clothes. "Thank you, Ordona," she said, taking a step back. "I'll try."

Ordona bowed his head and a moment later dissipated into countless glimmers of light which faded into the air, returning the natural light to as it was. And to Jenna's surprise the light of the sun was fading, turning into twilight. The lack of the spirit's golden light made Jenna feel a little lonely as she shivered, exposed to the cooling air of impending night. Wrapping her arms around herself she stared at where Ordona had been standing on the water trying to comfort her.

"Stay strong," she murmured to herself, repeating the spirit's words to her. "You'll get home somehow..." She remained for a moment longer before suddenly turning and quickly heading down the path towards the village.

"I must be out of my mind."

• • • • •

Jenna was more than thankful that the path was well worn, devoid of rocks and roots to trip her up or hurt her feet. Still, it wasn't the nicest thing to walk on compared to the soft white sand she was used to. And the light was fading fast, the air cooling rapidly. Thankfully Jenna strode past the village gate before full sunset, clinging to herself to hold in her warmth and taking careful steps down the slope leading into the village.

There were only a few small huts and homes in the entire village, from what Jenna could see, but there was a feeling of coziness about it. Some of those homes had a faint glow of light peering out from door frames or windows, small gardens were thriving with crops yet to be harvested and there was the occasional clucking of chickens somewhere.

"Man," Jenna muttered. "Feels like I've been thrust back into the Middle Ages or something..."

"Someone's come into the village!"

"Who's there?"

"Is it the children?"

These questions and voices snapped Jenna out of her reverie, startling her. A small rabble of people were heading towards her, a middle aged man leading them all as he bore a flickering torch in his hand. His face looked a little rough as was his wardrobe which made the girl step back in hesitation. The man brought the torch forward, lighting the space between himself and Jenna so that both could see each other clearer.

The torchlight revealed the man's face to be not just rough but also fairly beaten up. A bandage was wrapped around his head; bruising and discolorations were around his eye and cheek; and he bore other small cuts as well as a busted lip that was still healing. Jenna could only imagine what he had gone through to receive such wounds.

"No. No it's not the children," he said, tilting his head towards the rest who followed him. "But a young woman."

"A young woman?" A woman who appeared almost the same age as the man ahead of her spoke up. Jenna noticed that she was far along into pregnancy, her belly swollen as if about to pop.

"Sweetheart," the man bearing the torch started, "you shouldn't be out here."

"I heard the ruckus. I wanted to believe our boy was back," the woman replied, looking to her husband. Jenna had no idea what they were talking about. The wife of the man then turned her attention back onto Jenna, her expression becoming compassionate as she reached out to her.

"My goodness, you poor thing. Look at you, you're barely even clothed!" She looked down and saw Jenna's dirtied feet. "And no shoes! Come, come with me. You poor thing..." She gently brought Jenna to her, guiding her through the village towards a small house situated on the crest of a gentle roll of earth.

Inside the house was warm, cozy, and quaint. Decorations here set along furniture and on the wall, adding personality to the family that lived there. The quality of everything ranged from well made to half made from scraps of whatever was close to the hands of an inexperienced craftsman. The woman, introducing herself as Leda, insisted on setting Jenna in front of the little fireplace set right into the rock which the house backed into saying that she needed to warm herself from the night air. Meanwhile she went looking about in baskets and chests for clothes that Jenna could change into.

"What's your name?" Leda had asked after Jenna sat down in front of the fire.

"Jenna," she replied simply. There was a moment of silence in-between them as Jenna watched her rummage for something that would fit her frame. "Why are you helping me?" she finally asked.

Leda stopped for a moment and turned to look at her. There was a flicker of maternal love in her eyes. It sent a pang of homesickness through Jenna, recognizing that look to be the same her own mother would give sometimes. "We're all helping each other in the village," she replied. She resumed her task. "We recently...suffered losses."

"What happened?"

"Strange and vicious monsters. They came charging into the village just yesterday and took all the children away." Leda seemed to lose her strength in something so simple as holding articles of clothing, her arms nearly going slack though her shoulders shook. "My little boy." Her voice was faltering. "My little Colin...He was taken away from me. I can't bear to think what's become of him." She choked, her expression dissolving into grief, hiding her face behind her hand.

Jenna's expression softened as she reached out for Leda, resting her hand on Leda's own. "I'm so sorry," she said softly.

Leda gave a half-hearted smile, resting her other hand on top of Jenna's. "Thank you. I don't mean to burden you with our troubles." She pulled out one more article of clothing from the basket she had been rummaging through and handed the armful of fabrics into Jenna's own arms.

"Here, try these all on. You look to be about the same height and shape as me." Leda's mood lightened a little more as she chuckled, resting her hands on her swollen belly. "Well, I _was_." Jenna couldn't help but give a chuckle as well, holding all the clothing in a wad in her arms. Leda showed her to a small nook in the house that was blocked off with a draping cloth to help with privacy. Jenna awkwardly went in and began trying on the clothes.

She eventually came out, content with her choice of wardrobe. Her feet were finally covered with a pair of sandals that had fur under the main strap across her feet to protect them from the leather possibly cutting into her skin; tan colored, capri length pants covered her legs; and she layered up on shirts as a sleeveless, turtle-necked, egg colored shirt was covered by a square-neck, faded red shirt. The sleeves to the red shirt were too long for her liking so she left them carelessly rolled up to her elbows. To finish the wardrobe off Jenna had a sash wrapped around her waist and tied in place securely by another, thinner sash.

After helping Jenna look more like an actual villager Leda aided in one last aspect of her appearance. Leda sat on a wooden bench near the center of the house with pillows stuffed with wool for seating comfort while Jenna sat on the floor, her back to the woman. Leda's fingers skillfully navigated through the mess of the young woman's hair, managing to get the hair ties pulled out though some tangles remained.

"You have a pretty hair color," Leda commented as she took a brush in hand and began to gently work out the tangles and snarls in Jenna's hair. Normally Jenna wouldn't have bothered with her hair until her showers in the evening to wash off salt water and sweat, so her hair was really in need of rescuing. "I'll give your hair a wash and another brushing after we get it all straightened up, alright?"

"Okay," Jenna quietly replied.

There wasn't much else said between them, save for a moment or two of small-talk. And, as Leda continued to work through Jenna's hair, her touch gentle, the young woman received another pang of homesickness within herself. She was glad she had her back turned to the expectant mother because as she sat in silence, she wept equally silent tears.


	3. Wolf

3rd Sunfall/Moonrise: Wolf

The following morning Jenna was woken up early by the sound of Leda's husband, Rusl, and his heading out the door to go about his daily business despite his injuries. Leda awoke shortly afterwards and gently shooed Jenna out the door, telling her to explore the village and get to know the people, even possibly help around or occupy herself in some way, shape, or form. Clueless as she was about this land of Hyrule she'd been thrust into Jenna did just as Leda instructed.

Daylight revealed the little village to be rather quaint and surprisingly self-reliant. A pond lay off to one side of the village, the water's surface already reflecting the sun's light in blinding shimmers; the small plots of gardens bore mostly vegetables, the leaves and vines consuming most of the areas while the actual crop lay hidden beneath the green; chickens in a variety of color roamed freely in the village, clucking and pecking at the ground, undisturbed by any passerby.

With only the adults left in the village the place was devoid of the energy and laughter usually provided by the younger generation. Still, there were gracious tones of voices in the adults as they met with each other greeting and chatting almost as if there was nothing out of the ordinary.

The first place Jenna actually went to was up the steep slope leading towards the ranch. She smelled it moments before she actually saw the livestock kept there. The field was expansive, looking like the crest of the hill had been flattened as best as possible by human means, so there were a few bumps and rolls here and there. That didn't stop the grasses and flowers from blooming all over the field as numerous goats grazed in peace. The one thing about the goats that surprised Jenna was that they all had circular horns like that of the light spirit Ordona.

"Well, good morning, miss," came a friendly voice. Jenna looked towards the figure of a tall, broad shouldered man as he strode towards her. "You the one Rusl and Leda took in last night, aint'cha?"

"Um, yes, I'm Jenna," she replied awkwardly.

"A pleasure. I'm Fado," he said, reaching his hand out to her. She took his hand and they shook. His hands were large and rough from daily work. Fado also had sun-kissed skin with blatantly obvious farmer's tans peeking out on his shoulders. "You got any experience with horses, Jenna" Fado asked.

"Only a little. I don't really ride on a regular basis." She had really only done a few riding trails along the beach once she was big enough to actually mount a horse. She wondered if she was giving herself too much credit.

He gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "Nah, it's alright. Just wonderin' if you'd want to help me take the horses out into the field." He gestured towards a wooden structure with its large doors swung open. "They're still inside the barn and-" A loud whinny came from the barn. Fado chuckled. "And they're gettin' ansty."

"Sure, I'll help," she replied after a moment's thought.

"Great! C'mon over to the barn and I'll show you the horses. I'll let you lead out the more mellow ones."

Fado lead Jenna inside, the smell of horses mixed with goats permeating through the air. It was also cozy warm inside compared to the still cool morning air outside. Fado gave a whistle and every horse poked their heads out from their stalls, giving whinnies as if in reply while one or two gave an outright neigh.

Fado went on and on about his pride in the ranch, and the quality of the goats and horses he raised, interjecting instruction on how to harness the horses and lead them out from time to time. He also went on about a kid named Link who helped him more often than not. Jenna got curious, having never heard somebody have that kind of a name to them. Fado seemed more than eager to go on about him.

"He disappeared with the rest of the kids, though," he said. "We all assume he got kidnapped with them. But Rusl teaches him swordplay, so some of us hope that he managed to free himself and maybe the others as well."

"The whole village seemed really worried last night. But today...it feels almost normal," Jenna commented.

"We're still really worried," Fado replied. "But we gotta put on a brave face for ourselves. And each other."

Jenna removed the lead harness from the horse's head, looking thoughtful from his words. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. I guess all you can do is hope."

"For now."

Jenna turned around to go and lead the last horse in the stables out into the field, but she felt warm breaths and a nudge at her back. Turning back she found that the horse she had just taken out, a large dapple gray horse, was quietly following her. She couldn't help but chuckle and gently stroked the horse's forehead.

"Ah, that's Herne," said Fado. "Always a gentleman."

"Herne, huh?" Jenna set the lead down and smiled when she touched his soft, velvety muzzle. Herne seemed to enjoy it, nuzzling her had as if telling her to keep doing it. She got caught up in satisfying the gray's need for affection that she didn't notice Fado had taken it on himself to lead the last horse out.

One or two of the goats were following him as he approached her. "He seems to like ya a good bit," he said.

"He seems like a big sweetheart," she commented.

"That he is. Easygoing fellow. He's so calm that even the younger kids can ride him."

"That mellow, huh?"

At that moment an idea struck at the man. A pleasant smile came across his face. "Jenna, why not ride Herne for a spell? It's been a while since he last went ridin'."

Jenna shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

For the following couple of hours Jenna spent her time in the saddle of the gray gelding, Herne. He proved to be one of the best horses she had ever ridden, his personality being mellow enough to allow Jenna to go where she pleased without much of a fuss on his end. And he was a strong fellow too, able to easily leap over the fences Fado set up earlier in the day after seeing how well Jenna was getting on with the gelding.

She even helped to round up the goats as the day was fading. She and Fado had a laugh about it afterwards, as Jenna complained about how at times it was easy to get them into the barn while at other times they refused to go where they needed to. Regardless, Fado did thank and compliment her for her help. After getting the goats in she then helped to lead the horses back into the barn as well. She was thankful that they were far more cooperative than the goats. The last to go in was, of course, Herne. He gave her a gentle nudge after she closed the door to his stall and she, in return, gave his muzzle a rub.

After all that work was done Jenna decided to simply take in the evening as she lay in the grassy field of the ranch. The air and light were still warm as the sunlight filtered through the numerous trees growing atop the hills that Ordon was settled into. The sky was glowing with colors typical of any evening: orange, yellow, some pinks and maroons, and then deep blues and purples.

Jenna stared up at that sky, a warm haze filling the air as the sun set. Her mind wandered as she lost herself to her surroundings-the sky, the tall grasses, the sounds of animals and people from the village at the bottom of the ranch's hill. She wondered if this was where she would be for the rest of her life. The light spirit Unum hadn't exactly been specific in how long she would need to stay safe from this unknown threat upon her world.

All of it sounded so crazy, but then again, wasn't her being in this place called Ordon just as crazy? But she had to admit, the village was rather nice. It wasn't her real home along the beach, but after spending a day amongst the people and the environment it wasn't so bad.

"Jenna."

Her reverie was broken when she blinked and realized that Rusl was standing a few steps from her. He still looked terrible with all those sounds and bandages. It looked like he hadn't changed them since she met him last night. Jenna wondered if Leda would get on his case for that.

"I'm sorry, I got lost in thought," she said.

"It's alright," he replied, giving a smile. Jenna felt more relaxed at the small gesture. She rose to her feet, brushed herself off, and followed after Rusl to his home where Leda was already working on dinner. Jenna helped where she could and Leda was more than grateful for it.

As Jenna had suspected, Leda did get on Rusl's case for not letting her change the bandages before he went off in the morning. She nearly ranted his ear off about not taking care of himself and what in Hyrule she was going to do if he got an infection or opened up one of his wounds again. Rusl simply took it all with dignity, said he was sorry, and gave her a kiss saying that he would be more careful tonight.

The men of the village were still doing nightly rounds to make sure no monsters decided to come back. Jenna learned that they would keep this vigil for a few more nights before deeming their village safe from attack. The women, Jenna included, were to stay inside. Neither she nor Leda argued, since Leda still had a few things to take care of before she could retire to bed.

"Do you think anything will happen tonight?" Jenna asked as she helped the expectant woman fold clothes that had been washed earlier in the day, then tried during the afternoon sun.

"I certainly hope not," Leda replied. "This village has always been so quiet. I pray to the goddesses that it goes back to being that way."

Leda paused in folding the laundry, her expression melancholy. Jenna could only assume that she was still missing her son. She would have said something to comfort the woman, but something nagged in the back of her mind, telling her there was nothing she could say that would make Leda feel any better. So, she just kept on working quietly, hoping her presence alone would be enough to comfort the mother.

• • • • •

The men were still out keeping watch on the village when Leda and Jenna finally went to bed. Like last night Leda went up the wooden staircase leading up to the loft area of the house where hers and Rusl's bed was. She was quick to fall asleep, exhausted from both the daily work and from simply being pregnant. Jenna remained on the ground floor, sleeping on the floor with blankets to give her something to sleep on. She didn't complain. Why would she? She knew that complaining wouldn't change her situation and it would prove herself ungrateful for the kindness of the couple who took her in.

She took one last glance at the sword Rusl left on the couch for hers and Leda's protection, just in case anything snuck in. He had done this last night as well. Why he picked that one to be used, Jenna didn't know, he had plenty of others he had mounted on the wall. But, she didn't bother herself with wondering why. She was tired and still trying to accept her fate of being here. Snuggling into the blankets she closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

Jenna was awoken by an odd disturbance of air through her hair. It took her a moment to realize that this was no breeze, but something sniffing at her. Her eyes were open but she remained completely still, not daring to look at what had gotten into the house. It was when she heard a snort and saw a four-legged creature move on that she finally looked.

A wolf! A large, maned wolf had somehow gotten inside and, of all things, was taking hold of the sword's shoulder strap with its jaws, pulling it off the couch. Jenna twisted in her blankets, the wolf's ears twitched, and it suddenly turned to look at her. She froze, staring into blue eyes. The wolf seemed just as surprised as she was. It looked...intelligent, almost human.

Without really thinking she reached out for the beast. It watched her hand warily, but didn't bite due to its already having the sword in its mouth. Her fingertips touched its muzzle, stroked up, and brushed against the odd marking it bore on its forehead. She gasped when an image flashed through her head, the image of a young man bearing the same blue eyes as the wolf in front of her. Jenna snapped her hand back and the wolf bolted, wiggling itself back out of the house through a dislodged floorboard.

"Ah! Wait!" Jenna called out, scrambling out of the blankets. She nearly fell flat on her face from getting tangled in them first. Simply remembering Rusl's instruction of using a sword against anything that got into the house Jenna grabbed one of the other swords mounted on the wall and took off after the beast, not even thinking about shoes or getting herself properly dressed beyond her shirt and capri trousers Leda had lent to her.

She could barely see the wolf running out of the village boundaries through the mix of moon and starlight, since it kept to the shadows of the night. As it ran she thought she heard something clinking and clanking. Was it the sword making that noise? Tripping multiple times on still unfamiliar paths and roots that rose up from the ground she pursued it, regardless.

"Where are you going?" she called out to it as it dashed past the spring where she had met the spirit Ordon. But the wolf kept running, past the spring, over the bridge and towards the black veil on the other side. As soon as Jenna saw it she stopped dead in her tracks, a cold chill slithering down her spine, making her body shiver. Something just wasn't right about that place, and yet the wolf had charged fearlessly towards it.

Jenna swallowed, trying to bring her fears down into the pit of her stomach and keep it there. She took a hesitant step forward, and then another. She jumped in surprise when she came near and saw a glowing hand reach out from the black, rune covered curtain and pull the wolf inside. The surface rippled like water.

"Ohmanohmanohman..." she muttered over and over again to herself, daring to come even closer.

Standing there in front of the strange veil Jenna had half a mind to turn around and bolt straight back to Rusl and Leda's house. But her apprehension kept her from moving, her feet and legs grounded to the earth like lead. What had she been thinking? Most of the stuff that had happened to her was pretty crazy in itself, but this was up there!

Before she could even figure whether to run back or forward that same glowing hand reached out. It grasped her and Jenna tried to stream, but her cry was caught in her throat as it yanked her towards the dark veil. A sensation swept over her and golden light filled her eyes.


End file.
